Don't Doubt Me
by PaperTowelHolders
Summary: Draco Malfoy finally realizes that he has feelings for a certain muggleborn at the Yule Ball. After trying to deny it for the better part of a year he finally takes the plunge and tries to get Hermione to trust him and to not doubt his feelings. Dramione
1. Chapter 1

Don't Doubt Me

By: The Paper Towel Holders

Summary:

_Draco Malfoy finally realizes that he has feelings for a certain muggleborn at the Yule Ball. After trying to deny it for the better part of a year he finally takes the plunge and tries to get Hermione to trust him and to not doubt his feelings._

**Chapter 1: First Year**

**Draco's P.O.V**

Draco Malfoy couldn't pin-point when he had first noticed, really noticed, the obnoxious know-it-all. Maybe it had been at the sorting when she started reciting spells. He had rolled his eyes, knowing immediately that she was a mud . He had resolved to ignore her. She was obviously not worth his time.

It could have been in Potions class, the fist Potions class. She had dared to raise her hand, when obviously Snape was trying to put Saint Potter in his place. She was ignorant of the inner workings of Pure-blood society. It was Snape's right to try to assert nce over another head. She was stupidly trying to interfere. He had rolled his eyes again and muttered "Mudblood's" under his breath. How was he supposed to deal with that overgrown beaver for seven years?

Draco had annoyed her for the next year. And by doing so he got to know her in odd ways. When attacking prey one must know the enemy. He had observed her. The way no one was friends with her except Weasley and Potter, the way she became so absorbed in her books. The way Potter and Weasley didn't even realize that they hurt her with their words and didn't see her face fall in sorrow. It had given him a slight thrill to see her turn away from Potter and Weasley. He told him self that it was because she was suffering without her friends. He found it wasn't as much fun to torment her when she was already down; there were no witty comebacks, no intellectual battles. He unconsciously left her alone during those times.

When he heard about Potter and the stone the first thing he had asked Blaise was whether 'the mudblood' was alive. He had acted impassive about his question, but he had seen Blaise's eyes narrow slightly.

When the year was over Draco went home and listened to his father plotting and planning about some diary that was once Voldemort's. It seemed rather stupid in Draco's mind that his father followed a Dark Lord that was a hypocritical half-blood... But no one else would ever know that. He didn't think about Hermione Granger all summer, except when his father had mentioned that the mudblood had beaten him in classes. He hated her for that.

**Hermione's P.O.V**

Hermione had never had any real friends. She had learned to deal with it, finding solace in her books. Because of this her social skills had never been the best. All Hermione really had, was her brain and love of knowledge. She used that to the best of her ability. Hermione had always been top of her class, even in primary school. When Hermione had been thrown into a new world she had taken to the new source of knowledge like a fish to water. She read anything and everything that she could get her hands on. When Hermione arrived at Hogwarts she was met with isolation once again.

At the sorting ceremony she had tried to think of every spell she could in hopes of being accepting into this new world. It hadn't worked. The children around her had rolled their eyes and scowled at her. One pair of eyes caught her attention. They were stormy grey and full of malice. He was scowling at her, those hard eyes boring through her. For reason, that one glare hurt more then all of the other ones put together. Perhaps because he actually belonged in this world and she, Hermione, never would.

Those eyes seemed to follow her after that. In the first potions class of the year Hermione had tried to help Harry Potter out of a tight situation with the Professor. She had read a book about Wizarding etiquette. Hermione Granger was no fool; she knew that Professor Snape was trying to assert himself over the young boy. The eyes, whose she latter learned belonged to a boy named Draco Malfoy, glared at her once again. He muttered something. He had thought that she hadn't heard. But she had. It was like a knife going into her heart. Maybe she wouldn't ever be anything but a 'stupid mudblood'.

She had tried to avoid those eyes after that, but she didn't succeed. She could feel him watching her and knew that he was playing some sick game of cat and mouse. She enjoyed playing. She didn't know why, but those moments of pure hatred and intellectual battle were some the best during her time at Hogwarts. Hermione never admitted that until many years later though.

When summer came and scores were delivered home, she was disappointed to be 1st once again. She had hoped for some competition from her enemy. But no, he had gotten 2nd. He hadn't beaten her. He hadn't even come close. She hated him for that.

_A/N: This is Karyn. Please read and review._


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N- Soooooooo sorry for the humongous wait!!!! I hope we still have some dedicated readers out there!! This one's by Erica! Hope you enjoy!**_

**Chapter 2 - Second Year**

**Draco P.O.V:**

Coming back to Hogwarts for Second year seemed slightly more bearable. At least he was no longer among the shrimps of the school. Although no one would ever dream of messing with him, having all been well-informed of his father's power. But sometimes, he didn't like being feared or respected just for who his father was. Sometimes, Draco just wanted to be Draco, no judgment involved. Maybe that was why he was always so bitter all the time. Maybe he came to terms with the fact that no one had ever seen the real him. Malfoy wasn't even sure if he knew the real him, himself. Confusing enough?

The new Dark Arts teacher was a dolt named Lockhart. Malfoy saw through him at first glance. This guy was arrogant and phony. Yet, somehow, the professor managed to capture the fancy of Hermione. When engaged in deep thought, Malfoy could feel an unpleasant prickle at this memory. He would immediately convince himself that it wasn't jealousy. Not allowing any other thoughts, perhaps more truthful thoughts, penetrate his mind.

Draco had remembered his father buying the Slytherin Quidditch team new high-tech brooms. His father had hopes of Draco joining the team, and this was an insurance policy that he got on. Draco hadn't originally wanted to be on the team, flying didn't please him as much as his father thought it did. When trying to see the brighter side of being on the team, his mind stumbled on the thought of Hermione. Hermione was terrified of heights, Malfoy recalled from a conversation he had overheard of Hermione reprimanding Harry for playing and even Ron for engaging in such a "brutal and dangerous activity."

Draco also remembered the news of him being Seeker spreading. The Gryffindor team was surprised. Before thinking, Draco had bragged that his father had bought the expensive brooms, only to be silenced by Hermione's wit. In anger, his mouth had slipped and he had accidentally called her a "filthy little Mudblood." He had immediately regretted it, but it was too late to take back. Once Ron had cast the charm that backfired that caused him to throw up, the Slytherin team started to laugh. Draco didn't want to look like an outsider, so he joined in the laughter. But it wasn't the same cold, mocking laughter as his teammates, it was more of a guilty laughter to hide his shame. Hermione gave so much attention and care to Ron once he started throwing up the slugs, a wave of jealousy swept over Malfoy; he almost wished that the curse had worked. Then, maybe, just maybe, Hermione would be giving Malfoy the attention.

The Chamber of Secrets was an adventure. Malfoy would never express the wave of sadness that briefly engulfed him when the news spread that Hermione had been petrified. He wouldn't admit it in a million years. He eventually convinced himself that it was just pre-teen hormones that were out of control. Draco never knew Ron and Harry ever took a Polyjuice potion to change into Crabbe and Goyle. On that night, Malfoy was insecure about their strange behavior. They were talking about Slytherin's heir, and the last time the chamber was opened. Draco got paranoid and went in to defense mode. Once again, he spoke with out thinking, he seemed to do that more than he realized. He had said that he hoped that Granger was the one to be killed. It was a terrible thing to say, he knew it. But he couldn't help it. It was the way of the Malfoys,' and he couldn't change it. Well, not yet anyway. Solace came in a rush when Hermione was cured. He secretly was relieved in his mind, but it didn't last long.

When the year was over, he almost regretted it. This year, his feelings were so strange, so foreign, there was no way to comprehend it. But he knew that when he saw her, and allowed his emotions to overtake him, even just for a second, they were quite possibly some of the truly happiest moments of his life. Over the summer, he would be caught in the mass of Purebloods. Hid father and mother would sub-consciously mold him again, slowly taking him farther and farther away from his more sensitive feelings, making Draco more cold hearted. He wouldn't know what else to think, being isolated from those fleeting moments of internal warmth. He hated himself for that.

**Hermione P.O.V.**

Hermione had finally gained what she could call true friends. It wasn't a common occurrence, so she cherished it. Sometimes she felt frightened, as if her friends would abandon her any time soon. When she had these feelings, she felt the need to be more proficient. She came up with wittier remarks and became more bossy. Of course, Harry and Ron didn't know she was doing this out of insecurity, so they tended to distance themselves from her by a little until her feelings subsided. She was afraid of being judged. She didn't want to just be known as the freakishly smart bookworm, she wanted to be a normal person, with an enjoyable personality, but it seemed that was too much to ask of herself.

Hermione commemorated the time Draco was so proud that he was the new Seeker, and that his father had bought new, expensive brooms for the team. The Slytherin team was rubbing it in the Gryffindor team's faces. In a rush, it had reminded her of the injustice that people were holding over other people's heads, either because they were too smart [Hermione or were poor [Ron. She snapped at his, claiming that Gryffindor didn't need fancy brooms because they had talent. She started feeling bad, but quickly stopped, reminding herself that he was one of the looming stuck-up people that thought they were better than everyone, or was he? When in her sessions of deep thought, she started doubting that he was so cruel, and started believing that he was just very misunderstood.

All of a sudden, she was being called a Mudblood by him, and any thoughts of him having a secret good side vanished. Tears gained in her eyes, her heart sank and felt a pain like it was being pierced. No tears escaped her eyes, because Ron had started throwing multi-colored slugs up from his backfired spell, and her pain was momentarily put on hold. Harry and Hermione immediately escorted him to Hagrid's hut. Before turning away, Hermione caught a glimpse at Malfoy, who looked angry and was biting his lip. She thought he would look relieved that the spell didn't hit him, but he was angry. A flutter of hope filled her heart, maybe he was angry with himself for calling her that. Then, the logical side of her mind informed Hermione that it was probably just because he was shocked and outraged that Ron had tried to retaliate.

She didn't have much to say about the Chamber of Secrets, having been paralyzed. She was disappointed as the year came to a close. She would be retreating back with her mother and father, who she had missed, but she wasn't ready to part with Hogwarts and it's students for a whole summer. She would be spending a lot of time with Harry and Ron, and one of their favorite topics was what a bigot Malfoy was. That didn't give her room to think about any kindness he might be sheltering. Hermione was often filled with biased and mean thoughts about him, erasing any admirable qualities she might have learned about him during the school year. She hated herself for that.

**A/N- Hope you enjoyed the chapter!! Much love from Ducky1414 [Erica**


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